An electrical terminal element of this kind is basically known. Typically, it is accommodated in a terminal element housing and fixed in the housing by means of locking elements. Known locking elements include, for example, latch lugs which protrude from side walls of the terminal elements and are bent over outwardly and which engage behind corresponding latch projections of the housing.
With a terminal element of this kind, it proves to be problematic that the latch lugs can withstand only minor pull or push forces, so that in case of elevated forces there is a risk of the terminal elements being pulled out of the housing and being damaged in the process. If the terminal element housing is provided with a seal on one side on which the terminal element is introduced into the housing, in the case of sharp-edged latch lugs there is the added disadvantage that the seal is damaged during introduction of the terminal elements into the housing.
A further known terminal element of the kind mentioned hereinbefore has at least one non-deformable locking projection. In order that such a terminal element can be introduced into a terminal element housing, it is required that latch projections of the housing can be displaced by the locking projections during insertion of the terminal element. The latch projections must therefore be spring-mounted, e.g. by means of spring arms arranged in the housing. The provision of spring arms of this kind leads to increased size of the terminal element housing, which has a particularly adverse effect in particular when the housing is provided for receiving several terminal elements.